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| Dave Wilkins... |
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Trumpeter Dave Wilkins was born in Barbados in 1914, the youngest of ten children, and decided to play the trumpet after hearing Bix Beiderbecke on the Paul Whiteman records. He joined the local Salvation Army band on trumpet at the age of twelve and by 1934 was playing in Bert McLeans Jazz Hounds. After playing in other local bands in the West Indies he came to London to join the Ken "Snakehips" Johnson Band in May 1937. He remained with the band until it's untimely demise in March, 1941 when a wartime air raid on tha Cafe de Paris killed Johnson as well as others, but fortunately Wilkins avoided serious injury, suffering only from shock. With others from the Johnson band he took part in the famous November 1941 "First English Public Jam Session" recording session at the Abbey Road studios. He and Yorke de Souza both worked with Harry Parry and his Sextet 1942/43 and they can be heard on a number of records with the sextet from this period. Parry was very popular and at the time broadcast regularly for the BBC, played many gigs and recorded regularly for the Parlophone label. Wilkins was in demand, besides Parry he worked with Johnny Claes (briefly in 1941), Ambrose (1941-42) and many others including Maurice Winnick (1943-44) before joining 'Jiver' Hutchinson when he formed his swing band in 1944. |
He stayed with Hutchinson until 1946 apart from a brief spell with Eric Winstone (1945) He also worked for other small groups, notably the modern group led by Harry Hayes before joining the Ted Heath band in 1947. In the Ted Heath band he played in a trumpet section that included Kenny Baker and Stan Roderick his opportunities were limited, his main feature being the vocal spot on Open the door Richard. He finished with Heath in 1949. Wilkins played with one of the two resident bands at the famous Club Eleven, the first British bop orientated jazz club and then a succession of name bands including Maurice Winnick, Cyril Stapleton (1949), Cab Kaye (1950) and Jack Nathan (1951). Through the 1950s he worked with jazz based bands of Joe Daniels, Joe Muddel, Reg Wale, Denny Wright, Bruce Turner (1959-60) and Wally Fawkes and Sandy Brown (1960-61) By the 1970s he was only playing occasionally and illness forced him into semi-retirement. He died in 1990, remembered nostalgically by the older British jazz enthusiasts. As well as his work on the Ken Johnson and Jiver Hutchinson records he can be heard on CD on a number of Harry Parry Sextet tracks, including a superb solo feature on Body and Soul. The black British swing bands... |
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Ken 'Snakehips' Johnson and his West Indian Dance Orchestra - July 17th, 1938 (Acetate air check) Dave Wilkins, Leslie 'Jiver' Hutchinson, Wally Bowen (tp), Lad Busby (tb), Carl Barriteau (cl), Bertie King (cl,as), George Roberts, Dave 'Baba' Williams (as,ts), Errol Barrow (p), Joe Deniz (g), Abe 'Pops' Clare (b), Tommy Wilson (d), Betty Dale (voc). Washington Squabble*/Please Be Kind (vocal BD)*. (*Topic Records CD - Black British Swing) Leonard Feather and Ye Olde English Swynge Band - September 12th, 1938 (Decca) Dave Wilkins (tp,vcl), Andy McDevitt (cl), Bertie King (ts), Leonard Feather (p-1,cel-2), Will Solomon (p-3), Alan Ferguson (g), Len Harrison (b), Hymie Schneider (d). Colonel Bogey -3 (2 takes)/Widdecombe Fair - 3 (DW vcl)/Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes -2,-3/Early One morning -1 (2 takes). Ken 'Snakehips' Johnson and his West Indian Dance Orchestra - September 22nd, 1938 (Decca) Personnel as July 17th except Betty Dale out. Snakehips Swing*^/Exactly Like You*/The Sheik Of Araby*/My Buddy*. (*Topic Records CD - Black British Swing) (^Proper Records 4CD Box set - Jazz in Britain 1919 - 1950) January 29th, 1940 (HMV) Dave Wilkins, Leslie 'Jiver' Hutchinson, Jack Cosker (tp), Freddie Butt (tb), Carl Barriteau , Bertie King (cl,as), George Roberts, Dave 'Baba' Williams (as,ts), Errol Barrow (p), Joe Deniz (g), Ernie Stevens (b), Tommy Wilson (d), Don Johnson, Pat O'Regan (vcl). Seventeen Candles (vcl PO)/Goodnight, My Beautiful (vcl PO)/Give Me My Ranch (vcl DJ)*/I'm In Love For The Last Time (vcl PO). (*Topic Records CD - Black British Swing) February 27th, 1940 (HMV) Personnel as January 29th. A Small Cafe By Notre Dame (vcl DJ)/Tuxedo Junction*/Ida*/Careless (vcl DJ). (*Topic Records CD - Black British Swing) April 24th, 1940 (HMV) Personnel as January 29th except add Al Bowlly and the Henderson Twins (vcl). It's A Blue World (vcl DJ)/Blow, Blow Thou Winter Wind (vcl AB-HT)*/It Was A Lover And His Lass (vcl AB-HT)*/Sing A Round-up Song (vcl DJ). (*Topic Records CD - Black British Swing) Lew Stone and his Stonecrackers - May 22nd, 1941 (Decca) Dave Wilkins (tp), George Chisholm, Eric Breeze, Abe Walters (tb), Andy McDevitt (cl), Aubrey Frank (ts), Jack Penn (p), Ivor Mairants (g), Charlie Short (b), Jock Cummings (d), Lew Stone (dir). Aunt Hagar's Blues*/Beale Street Blues (two takes)/At The Jazz Band Ball*#/Get Happy (two takes). (*Timeless CD - George Chisholm - Early Days) (#Retrospective CD - George Chisholm The Gentleman of Jazz - A Centenary Tribute) First English public Jam session - November 16th, 1941 (HMV) Dave Wilkins (tp), Woolf Phillips (tb), Harry Parry (cl,ldr), Aubrey Frank (ts), Art Thompson (p), Joe Deniz (g), Charlie Short (b), Bobby Midgley (d). Honeysuckle Rose/I've Found A New Baby. This was recorded as a tribute to the second world war effort of Britain's Merchant Navy, the proceeds from the sale of the record went to provide comforts for the sailors. Melody Maker's Competition Band - May 31st, 1942 (Decca) Dave Wilkins, Kenny Baker, Tommy McQuater (tp), George Chisholm, Woolf Phillips (tb), Harry Parry (cl), Harry Hayes (as), George Evans, Aubrey Frank, Reg Dare (ts), George Shearing (p), Joe Deniz (g), Tommy Bromley (b), Jock Cummings (d). Red Duster Rag*/Red Duster Rag. (*Hep Records CD - Kenny Baker, Birth of a Legend '41-'46) (*Proper Records 4CD Box set - Jazz in Britain 1919 - 1950) Harry Parry and his Radio Rhythm Club Sextet - August 14th, 1942 (Parlophone) Dave Wilkins (tp,vocal), Harry Parry (cl), Ken Oldham (ts), York De Souza (p), Joe Deniz (g), Sam Molineaux (b), Sid Raymond (d). Potomac Jump*/I Can't Dance (vocal DW)/Rock It Out*/Who's Sorry Now. (*Vocalion CD - Parry Opus - The Harry Parry Sextets) March 23rd, 1943 (Parlophone) Personnel as August 14th, 1942 except Joe Deniz out. You Are My Lucky Star*/Blue Train Blues (vocal HP)*/The Darktown Strutters Ball/Stardust. (*Vocalion CD - Parry Opus - The Harry Parry Sextets) Harry Parry and his Radio Sextet - June 21st, 1943 (Parlophone) Dave Wilkins (tp,vocal), Harry Parry (cl), Ken Oldham (ts), Derek Neville (as,bs), York De Souza (p), Sam Molineaux (b), Sid Raymond (d), Rita Marlowe (vcl). Polly Put The Kettle On#/Dr.Heckle And Mr. Jibe#/St. Louis Blues (vocal RM)/Body And Soul*. (*Vocalion CD - Parry Opus - The Harry Parry Sextets) (#Sunflower CD - Harry Parry's Radio Rhythm Club Sextets - Crazy Rhythm) August 19th, 1943 (Parlophone) Personnel as March 23rd. Basin Street Blues/Runnin'Wild*/Rosetta/Ida, Sweet As Apple Cider. (*Vocalion CD - Parry Opus - The Harry Parry Sextets) October 23rd, 1943 (Parlophone) Personnel as March 23rd. Blue Lou/No Gin Blues/Hallelujah*/Boogie Rides To Yorke. (*Vocalion CD - Parry Opus - The Harry Parry Sextets) The four titles on this session were all rejected and not issued by Decca. Their first release seems to be on the two CDs listed... Leslie 'Jiver' Hutchinson and his Coloured Orchestra - July 31st, 1944 (Decca) Leslie 'Jiver' Hutchinson, Dave Wilkins, Frank Williams (tp), Harry Roche (tb), Bertie King, George Roberts, Joe Appleton, Freddy Grant (saxes), Yorke de Souza (p), Joe Deniz (g), Coleridge Goode (b), Clinton Maxwell (d), Pinky Mackenzie (vcl). Swing Low Sweet Chariot*^/Big Top Boogie*/Cherokee/More Than You Know (vcl PM). (*Topic CD - Black British Swing) (^Proper Records 4CD Box set - Jazz in Britain 1919 - 1950) Leslie 'Jiver' Hutchinson and his Coloured Orchestra - December 19th, 1946 (BBC broadcast) Leslie 'Jiver' Hutchinson, Dave Wilkins, Pete Pitterson (tp), Frank Baker, Harry Roche (possibly) (tb), Bertie King, George Tyndale, George Roberts, Joe Appleton (or Johnny Jones), (saxes), Yorke de Souxa (p), Joe Deniz (g), Bobby Henry (b), Clinton Maxwell (d). Dr Heckle And Mr Jibe*. (*Topic CD - Black British Swing) With the increasing interest in the new modern jazz sounds at this time, the 'Melody Maker' and 'Columbia Records' held a joint jazz rally at which the Harry Hayes Band and the Woolf Phillips group played. Melody Maker's Jazz Rally - June 29th, 1947 (All issued on Columbia) Dave Wilkins (tp), Woolf Phillips (tb), Harry Parry (cl), Reggie Dare (ts), Ralph Sharon (p), Pete Chilver (g), Jack Fallon (b), Norman Burns (d). Who's Sorry Now (part 1)/Who's Sorry Now (part 2). In 1947 Dave Wilkins joined Ted Heath. His solo abilities were sorely under used and he was featured on only a couple of novelty numbers. The recording sessions on which he appeared are listed below. Full details, including CD release information are available elsewhere on this website: Ted Heath the 1940s... Ted Heath and his Music - January 2nd, 1947 (Decca) Ted Heath and his Music - March, 1947 (Broadcast for British Forces overseas) Ted Heath and his Music - April 8th, 1947 (Decca) Ted Heath and his Music - April 22nd, 1947 (Decca) Ted Heath and his Music - September 16th, 1947 (Decca) Ted Heath and his Music - September, 1947 (Broadcast for British Forces overseas) Ted Heath and his Music - October 24th/25th/27th, 1947 (Decca) Ted Heath and his Music - October, 1947 Ted Heath and his Music - October, 1947 (Broadcast for British Forces overseas) Ted Heath and his Music - November 22nd, 1947 (Decca) Ted Heath and his Music - December 2nd, 1947 (Decca) Ted Heath and his Music - December 23rd, 1947 (Decca) Ted Heath and his Music - Late, 1947 (Broadcast) Ted Heath and his Music - April 7th, 1948 (Decca) Ted Heath and his Music - April 19th, 1948? (London) Ted Heath and his Music - April 21st, 1948 (London/Decca) Ted Heath and his Music - April 22nd, 1948 (London/Decca) Ted Heath and his Music - October 5th or 6th, 1948 (Decca) Ted Heath and his Music - October 22nd, 1948 (Decca) Ted Heath and his Music - October 26th, 1948 (Decca) Ted Heath and his Music - November 4th, 1948 (Decca) Ted Heath and his Music - December 16th, 1948 (Decca) Reg Owen and his Orchestra - December, 1948 or January, 1949 details... Ted Heath and his Music - Ted Heath and his Music - February 5th, 1949 (Decca) Ted Heath and his Music - March 1st, 1949 (Decca) Ted Heath and his Music - April 11th, 1949 (Decca) The date below was for a German record company and was not issued in the UK... Cab Kaye and his Band - May, 1951 (Astraschall) Cab Kaye (vcl) acc. by Dave Wilkins (tp), Sam Walker, George Tyndale (ts), Cyril Johnson (p), Owen Stephens (b), Aubrey henry (d). Saturday Night Fish Fry/School-bop/Mood Indigo/Solitude. During the late 1950s and early 1960s Wilkins worked with Bruce Turner and Sandy Brown. Details of any records made with those bands will be added later... |
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